17 March 2006 - Thunder Bay
"Old Economy Regions in the New Economy: A North/South Dialogue on Social, Cultural, and Economic Issues"
(Thunder Bay - March 17, 2006) On March 24 and 25, people from around the world will be gathering in Thunder Bay to share their knowledge and ideas on how the world is being reshaped by technological, economic, and social forces, and how people around the world are responding.
The conference "Old Economy Regions in the New Economy: A North/South Dialogue on Social, Cultural, and Economic Issues" will have speakers from Canada, Norway, Finland, Mexico, India, Cameroon, and Guatemala.
"The new economy is rapidly transforming the world in which we live," says Dr. Thomas Dunk, a Sociology faculty member at Lakehead, and an organizer of the event. "This conference is designed to bring people together to talk about these changes and how people are responding to them. The objective is to stimulate a dialogue between the North and the South in order to better understand how solutions to development problems in one region might be applied to other regions of the world."
Over the two days, the conference will focus on topics such as "In Search of Flexibility: Restructuring Canada's Social Model in the Face of Globalization" and "Cultural Resistance in Land Use Conflicts: What Wolves May Mean to the Rural Working Class" (a complete schedule is below).
"We invite members of the community to join us in this important discussion," says Dr. Bruce Muirhead, a History faculty member at Lakehead, and also an organizer of the event. "Our speakers will address the cultural, social, and economic situation of regions in the new economy in the North and the South, particularly social movement responses to regional inequities, sustainable development, and developmental prospects in those regions that are or were based on resource economies."
Sponsors for this event include Lakehead University's Department of Sociology and Department of History, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Lakehead University Alumni Bookstore, the Centre for Northern Studies, the City of Thunder Bay, and Thunder Bay Ventures.
The conference takes place at the Prince Arthur Hotel. The cost for faculty members and the general public is $50. Lakehead University students are welcome for free.
Members of the Media: Dr. Dunk, Dr. Muirhead, and Dr. Harpelle are available for interview by calling Marla Tomlinson at 343-8177.